One day in 1994, three friends set off for an adventure in the woods — they are going to kill a mythical monster, and save the world. Of course this story is largely about the relationship between these three boys and their coming of age.

I liked this novella. I easily identified with the main character as I was never very sporty growing up. We share something else in common, too: Misery was my first Stephen King novel! Growing up with two sporty older brothers and a football loving dad, our main character feels he doesn’t quite belong until he discovers a love of reading . . . Very relatable, for me.

This is a quick, breezy read that will take you back to your own childhood. It is fun and honest and bittersweet; it’s quick, too. I do wish it were a bit longer, but I suppose that is a positive. Jason Pellegrini left me wanting more! This was my first taste of this author, and I will seek out his previous works. King’s The Body is an obvious influence, but Pellegrini’s short tale manages to avoiding feeling derivative. I did notice a number of grammatical errors, however, and that really took me out of the story at times. So I must give this four stars.

Read for ‘Free Space’ in Halloween Bingo.

Also: thanks to the author for the free copy, which was given in exchange for an honest review!